In a so-called impact printer of the type using a petal-like type wheel, various proposals have been made to effect easy loading of the type wheel when the type wheel is mounted on a type wheel support shaft, so that the handling of the type wheel can be facilitated and loading thereof can be done without the hands and clothes of the operator being soiled, even if the operator is not skilled in the type wheel handling and loading operation. The limits placed on space available for holding the type wheel within a printer, however have made type wheel loading mechanisms of the prior art not wholly satisfactory in enabling the type wheel to be loaded without any trouble. When emphasis is placed on easy handling of the type wheel, there has arisen the problem that the space within the printer for loading and unloading the type wheel is inevitably increased, thereby increasing the size of the printer.